The invention relates generally to welding systems, and, more particularly, to hybrid welding systems.
Welding is a process that has become increasingly ubiquitous in various industries and applications. As such, a variety of welding applications, such as construction and shipbuilding, may require welding devices that are portable and can easily be transported to a remote welding location. Accordingly, in some cases, it is often desirable for such welding devices to be operable as standalone units remote from a power grid or other primary power source. Therefore, a variety of welding systems utilizing alternate power sources, such as batteries, have been developed. Furthermore, during a welding operation, some weld load demands may be small (e.g., below 150 amps), and to meet such small load demands, the engine-generator unit is activated. However, activation of the engine-generator to meet such small load demands is often inefficient. Accordingly, there exists a need for hybrid welding systems that overcome such drawbacks.